Oct24

Jedi Mind Tricks, Violence Begets Violence (Review)

Jedi Mind Tricks

Violence Begets Violence

Released by Enemy Soil


JMT's messages have always been mixed; Vinnie Paz, an Italian (raised Roman Catholic most likely), is presumably a Five-Percenter, with his innumerable god references. Loves to rhyme about his guns in occasionally clever ways but also posits some progressive theories on politics and religion. The persona he portrays seems to have little respect for anyone who doesn't guzzle as much liquor as him or refuses to keep a screwface 24/7. That's the raging heart of Philly for you. But there is an intellectual precision to what Vinnie & JMT ...
Oct19

L.A. Rapper Tenacity Proves He’s ‘Different’ (Review)

Tenacity

"I'm Different" Mixtape (Hosted by House Shoes & DJ Rhettmatic)

Released by Abolitionists Projects


LA-based rapper Tenacity wastes no time proving the name of his new mixtape, I’m Different, was chosen for a reason.  Leaving the gimmicks aside, Tenacity shows he’s a cat clearly comfortable in his own skin.  Hip-hop heads looking for tracks about whips or jewels will probably have to look elsewhere, as Tenacity doesn’t mince words dissing the standard rap fare of party anthems and consumerism, skillfully blending conscious lyricism with off-beat production by DJ Haircut, Tranzformer, Eddie Logix and others. The Beat Junkies’ DJ Rhettmatic provides clean mixes and scratches ...
Oct19

J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Undercover (Review)

J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science

Undercover

Released by OM Records


My familiarity with J-Boogie comes from the various remix and edit work he has done in the past (including one he made for Vieux Farka Touré's "Fafa" from 2009) as well as his collaboration with fan favorites People Under the Stairs, Quantic and his Combo Barbaro, Bay Area compadres Zion I, Goapele and Raashan Ahmad spanning multiple projects, personal and by others. By no means an exhaustive list, J-Boogie’s talent is undeniable and his knowledge of mixing, sampling, and creating great-sounding gems continues to this day. J-Boogie’s extensive network ...
Oct19

Quantic – The Best of Quantic (Review)

Quantic

The Best of Quantic

Released by Tru Thoughts


If Quantic aka Will Holland’s records are already some of the most solid music this side of the Panama Canal, what would make you think that a The Best of Quantic collection could be anything less? Beginning with his unfathomably impressive debut The 5th Exotic, Mishaps Happening, up to his recent interests in Latinoamérica, Quantic has gone through various iterations, styles, and musical metamorphoses. Thinking about this collection as a sum of its parts, The Best of Quantic 2-cd compilation brings together some of the standout selections from his previous ...
Oct06

Danny Brown – XXX (Review)

Danny Brown

XXX

Released by Fool's Gold


"Colder than them grits they fed slaves" are the first words heard on Danny Brown's newest full-length release XXX. Obviously, Danny knows his way around a microphone. Upon listening to his latest offering in its entirety though, one realizes there's a lot more in that line than just a simile that stomps on other rappers' similes. Hell, if anybody was nearing their 30th birthday and still struggling to be known in the music business, they would be cold too. Yes, Danny Brown is indeed 30 years old (as denoted ...